Ambition versus DedicationWritten by Nicole Criona
All writers aspire to recognition, but are we dedicated? Ambition is simply drive or strong desire for something. It is enthusiastic wanting, that yearning felt in every pore, every cell in our bodies toward a specific aim. Sounds a lot like an addiction, doesn’t it? That’s because it is. We become addicted to our fantasy of what it’s like to live as a working, paid writer. That fantasy is great, it’s wonderful. Keep it. Don’t let it take place of dedication.Dedication, on other hand, according to Dictionary.com, is defined as “selfless devotion”. I was reading a book entitled “78 Reasons Why Your Book May Never Be Published & 14 Reasons Why it Just Might” by Pat Walsh. In introduction, he talks about difference between ambition and dedication and writes: “Most people who write a book have ambition, which differs from dedication. With ambition, goal is key element. With dedication, process is prize.” He’s right. If you are selflessly devoted to your writing, end result should be act of creation, act of manifesting, act of communicating a version of your story that is better than your greatest possible version. If you aspire to greatness, then fantasy is no longer good enough. How dedicated are you to your craft, regardless of your desire for publication and fame? (re)Dedicate yourself Letting go (at least temporarily) of ambition and rededicating yourself to your craft is your first step toward achieving your goals. Sounds recursive, I know – it’s same with that old adage: “just when you’re not looking, you’ll find Mr./Ms. right”. Irritating? Yes. True? Also yes. Here are a few tips to get you on your way toward your newfound perseverance.
| | Summer is the Perfect Time to WriteWritten by Nicole Criona
As of July 1st, year was half over! July 1st is Wednesday of annual calendar, it's an annual hump day (stop giggling!), and we'll be on downslide, smoothly sailing toward end of year. Summer will have just begun. The first day of summer arrives on June 21st and lasts until September 22nd.As children, summer was long, lazy, and school-less. It meant watching TV for hours, swimming, running though sprinklers, and time for exploration. Remember when you were a kid and just a walk around outside led to discovery? A hidden ant colony, a cool-shaped branch that made a great wand, a great rock that perfectly fit curvature of your body? Agriculturally, summer is time between planting and harvesting. It was a time of growth for seeds planted in spring. The agricultural cycle works like this: Spring is for planting seeds. Summer is for growth and maintenance. Autumn is harvest, time to reap rewards of what you have sown. Winter is a time of death and regeneration. Plants die and await spring again.
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